Friday, March 21, 2014

It was one of those mornings when, despite its best efforts, my under-eye concealer simply could not hide the effects of a night of sleep cut short. The caffeine from my second over-sized mug of coffee desperately tried to compensate for the lack of natural energy I possessed, but it wasn't succeeding.

As I drove to school, I took a deep breath, turned on the radio, and attempted to assure myself that I would survive the day, despite my heavy eyelids.

Just then, my ears perked up as they absorbed the first few notes of a familiar tune. My brain knew that it had heard that string of notes before, but it was so long ago that I couldn't quite remember the band who sang it or any of the words. Yet, the song felt so familiar.

Then, like a flash of lightning, recognition struck! As I suddenly remembered the song, the band who sang it, and every single lyric, I was brought back to my junior high days, when I used to belt out this tune with my youth group pals.

I couldn't resist. Ignoring the stares from traffic in parallel lanes, I proceeded to crank up the volume and, letting out my inner junior higher, I belted out the song just as I had many years ago.

A few minutes later, the music faded and I noticed that, although I felt twinge of disappointment at the song's end, I suddenly felt a surge of energy that no amount of coffee could have supplied.

My blood was pumping and I was ready for whatever was in store for me at school. I had found my ultimate energy cocktail: music and memories!

About Me

My name is Laura and I am the International Program Director at a Christian school in Ohio. In the past, I taught English in Beijing, China, and as you might guess, I love teaching, traveling, and learning about other cultures.